Linesman&#39;s traveller



June 28, 1955 N. FEINEN LINESMANS TRAVELLER Filed June 5, 1955 6 Sheets-Sheet l /V/CHOZ,46 Ff/Wf/V L T A BY 7 ATTORNEY June 28, 1955 N. FEINEN LINESMANS TRAVELLER Filed June 5, 1953 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 m wm m m v I m 8m B an 6 mm mm Q m mm l G 1w s R I ||||ll FAQ? Q t o S E Q mm s hm /l /636 0Z,4 a FH/w/v BY W ATTORNEY June 28, 1955 N. FEINEN LINESMANS TRAVELLER 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 5, 1953 nae-1:555:4 A

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June 28, 1955 N. FEINEN LINESMANS TRAVELLER 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 5,

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ATTORNEY June 28, 1955 N. FEINEN 2,711,873

LINESMANS TRAVELLER Filed June 5, 1953 6 h s- 6 /////A Fziz & I02

INVENTOR ATTORNEY LINESMANS TRAVELLER Nicholas Feinen, Buifalo, N. Y.

Application June 5, 1953, Serial No. 359,881

6 Claims. (Cl. 254-1343) The present invention relates to a linesmans traveller and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements of parts herein described and claimed.

Generally there is provided a device which is adapted to be mounted upon a pole-supported power or telephone line and to travel along the same under its own power from one pole to another whereby to carry an additional line or additional lines from one such pole to another. The device is provided with a streamlined casing whereby the same may easily move through tree branches or the like which may be in its path and it contains many novel features one of which is the provision of a novel means for automatically grasping and releasing the line upon which the device is mounted as the same moves therealong. Another feature of the invention is the means with which the same may be mounted upon or dismounted from a strung line.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a novel line traveller of the character set forth.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character set forth which is comparatively simple in construction, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and which is nevertheless eifect'ive and eflicient in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a device of the character set forth, novel means for gripping and releasing a line upon which the device is mounted.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a device of the character set forth, novel means for propelling the same along a strung line.

A further object of the invention is the provision, in a device of the character set forth, of a novel casing or housing forming a part of the invention' A further object of the invention is the provision, in a device of the character set forth, of novel means for mounting and dismounting the same upon or from a strong line.

Another object of the invention is the provision, in a device of the character set forth, of novel transmission means forming a part of the invention.

Another object of the invention is the provision, in a device of the character set forth, of novel gripping members forming a part of the invention.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification taken in conjunction with the drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an embodiment of the invention,

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof,

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure l but partly broken away to disclose interior mechanisms,

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of a cover forming a part of the invention,

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5--5 of tates Patent 0 fit Figure 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along line 8-8 of Figure 1,

Figure 9 is an enlarged sectional view taken substan tially along line 9-9 of Figure 1,

Figure 10 is a greatly enlarged sectional view taken along line 10-10 of Figure 1,

Figure 11 is a bottom plan view of a chassis and allied mechanisms forming a part of the invention,

Figure 12 is a longitudinal sectional view of Figure 11,

Figure 13 is a plan view of the device illustrated in Figures 11 and 12,

Figure 14 is a side elevational view of Figure 13,

Figure 15 is a top plan view of a gripping member forming a part of the invention,

Figure 16 is a bottom plan view of the device illustrated in Figure 15,

Figure 17 is a rear elevational view of Figure 15,

Figure 18 is a vertical sectional view of Figure 17,

Figure 19 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 19-19 of Figure 15,

Figure 20 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 20-20 of Figure 18, and

Figure 21 is a sectional view taken along line 21-21 of Figure 18.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is shown therein a casing generally designated at 1% and consisting of a main body 11 and a cover 12 which is hinged to the body 11 along one side thereof, as indicated at 13. Both cover and main body are shown as being formed of a plurality of horizontally extending panels but it will be apparent that, if desired, the same may be constructed as to present any suitable form as, for example, a circular cross sectional area. Both body and cover have integrally formed inwardly and forwardly tapering front ends and inwardly and rearwardly tapering rear ends so that the whole, when assembled, as shown in Figure l, for example, would present a stream lined appearance.

Brackets 14 and 15 mounted upon the inner side of the cover 12 in the forward and rearward portions thereof, respectively, carry horizontal base plates 16 and 17, likewise respectively. The plates 16 and 17 are respectively supplied with vertical circular openings 18 and 19. Horizontally slidable upon the plate 16 is a latch plate 20 having a vertical bracket 21 connected thereto and horizontally mounted upon the plate 17 is a latch plate 22 provided at its forward end with an upstanding bracket arm 23. The brackets 23 and 21 are interconnected by an elongated horizontally extending rod 24 provided with an upwardly extending finger piece 25 in the central portion thereof.

One of a pair of roller support arms 26 is afiixed to the forward end portion of the plate 16 and a tension spring 27 interconnects the arm 26 with the bracket 21 to normally urge both of the plates 20 and 22 in a forward direction. The plates 20 and 22 are respectively provided with vertical circular openings 28 and 29 which openings are normally slightly out of registry with the openings 18 and 19, respectively.

A plate 30 extends across the top of the forward pornon of the body 11 and has afiixed thereto a pin 30a upon the upper end of which is mounted a frusto-conically shaped lock member 31. Adjacent the rear end of the body 11 is affixed a bracket 32 carrying an upwardly extending pin 33 atop which is mounted a second frustocomically shapedlatch member 34. A lever 35 is hinged,

as indicated at 36, to the underside of the plate 30 and is provided at its forward end with a pair of upstanding ears 37 between which is mounted a transversely extending roller 38. The plate 30 is provided with an opening 39 in the forward end thereof to accommodate the ears 37 and roller 38. Adjacent the rear end of the lever 35 there is mounted an upwardly extending pin 40 surrounding which is a compression spring 41 which bears against the underside of the plate and the upper side of the lever to urge the rear end of the lever downwardly and consequently to normally urge the roller 38 upwardly through the opening 39.

A screw 42 is threaded vertically through the rearward end of the lever 35 and is adapted to bear at its lower end against the bottom of the body 11. By adjusting the screw 42 in the lever 35, the upward movement of the roller 38 may be accurately controlled.

The cover 12 is provided with a lid 43 which is pivotally mounted thereon by means of a rivet 44 or the like and such lid 43 is positioned in the cover 12 at a pointadjacent the handle 25 on the rod 24 so that access may be had to such handle.

A chassis is generally designated at 45 and consists of a pair of vertically extending longitudinal side plates 46 interconnected at the rearward ends thereof by means of a rectangular gear housing 47 which is connected thereto by bolts 48 or the like. A longitudinal shaft 49 is suitably jourualed in the housing 47 and has formed thereon a worm wheel 50 which is enmeshed with a worm 51 carried by a transverse shaft 52 which is suitably journaled in the housing 47 and which extends through one side thereof and terminates in a sprocket 53.

The plates 46 are fastened to the main body 11 by means of a plurality of spacers 54. Afiixcd inwardly of each of the side plates 46 by means of spacer bolts 55 in each case are longitudinally extending vertical guide plates 56 and 57.

A rear spacer block 58 interconnects the plates 46 and 56 and a like rear spacer block 59 interconnects the plates 57 and 46. A drive shaft extends revolubly through the spacer members 58 and 59 and the plates 46, 56 and 57. The shaft 60 projects through one of the plates 46 and terminates in a sprocket 61 which is interconnected with the sprocket 53 by means of an endless chain 62. If desired, the sprockets 53 and 61 may be attached to their respective shafts 52 and 60 between the plates 46 and the chain may thereby be brought within the sides of the chassis to save additional space in the overall cross sectional area of the device.

The shaft 60 is centrally provided with a sprocket 63. A block 64 is longitudinally and adjustably mounted upon the forward outer side of the plates 56 and 57 by means of bolts 65 on the like. A forward shaft 66 is journaled in the blocks 64 and extends at each of its ends through the plates 46 which are provided with slots 67 which permit longitudinal movement thereof. The shaft 66 centrally carries a sprocket 68 and an endless chain 69 interconnects the sprocket 63 and 68.

A pair of cross members 70 and 71 interconnect the plate 57 with its adjacent plate 46 and a like pair of cross members 72 and 73 interconnect the plate 56 with its adjacent plate 46. An elongated bolt 74 extends through the cross members 70 and 71 and is adapted to bear against the adjacent block 64. A like bolt 75 extends through the cross members 72 and 73 and is adapted to bear against its. adjacent block 64. Each of the bolts 74 and 75 is provided with a lock nut 76 adjacent the cross members 70 and 72, respectively.

Suitable bracing bolts 77 and 78 each provided with lock nuts 79 interconnect the various plates to impart rigidity to the chassis 45. A plurality of longitudinally spaced transversely extending support plates 80 are affixed outwardly of the endless chain 69 by means of pairs of brackets 81 and 82, both of L-shaped cross sectional area afiixed to suitable links of the chain 69 by means of rivets 83 or the like. Extending vertically through the support plate 80 and the upper portion of the bracket 82 is a shaft 84 upon the lower end of which is mounted a ball bearing roller 85 which is adapted to bear against the inner side of the adjacent inner plate 57. The upper end of the shaft 84 has threaded thereon a nut 86 beneath which is mounted a washer 87. An L- shaped fixed gripping member is generally indicated at 88 and consists of a vertical arm 89 and an integrally formed horizontal base member 90. A slot 91 extends centrally through the base 90 and partially upwardly into the vertical portion 89. The slot 91 is adapted to receive therein the shaft 84 as the base 90 extends atop the support plate 80 and beneath the washer 87, the nut 86 providing a means for lateral adjustment of the vertical gripping portion 89.

A vertical shaft 92 is threaded into one end portion of the support plate 80, as indicated at 93 and is provided at its upper end with a bifurcated head, as shown at 94. A cylindrical movable gripping member is gener ally indicated at 95 and is provided with a serrated outer face 96. A substantially U-shaped mounting member is generally indicated at 97 and is provided with a bight portion 98 which forms a part of the contour of the cylinder 95 while the lower leg thereof, shown at 99, has an upwardly extending pin 100 affixed therein. The leg 99 and an upper leg 101 are revolubly mounted upon the shaft 92. The cylinder 95 is provided with a bottom plate 102 which is welded or otherwise aflixed to the underside of the leg 99 and has integrally formed therewith an outwardly extending arm 103 in whose outer end there is provided a vertical shaft 104 having a ball bearing roller 105 mounted thereon which roller is held in position by means of a nut 106 and washer 107. A coil spring 108 surrounds the shaft 92 and is anchored, as indicated at 109, in the underside of the leg 101 at one end of its ends and to the pin 100 at its other end, as clearly shown in Figure 19 of the drawings. 1

The plate 46 has its upper portion cut away, as indicated at 110 from a point adjacent the sprocket 68 to a point adjacent the sprocket 63 and has formed therein in that upper edge portion thereof adjacent the sprocket 63 an outwardly curved guard lip 111. A limit pin 112 extends upwardly from the plate 80 adjacent the bottom plate 102 and the bottom plate 102 is provided with a shoulder 103 to receive the same therein whereby to limit the inward movement of the movable gripping member 95, it being understood that the latter is eccentrically mounted with respect to the shaft 92.

In operation, it will be apparent that when it is desired to mount the device upon, for example, a cable 114, it is only necessary to first open the cover 12 with respect to the main body 10 to provide access to the interior of the housing 10. To accomplish this, it is only necessary to turn the lid 43 upon its pivot 44 to provide access to the handle 25 whereupon the operator may move the handle 25 rearwardly to thus move the shaft or rod 24 to which the handle 25 is attached. This movement is against the action of the spring 27 and tends to vertically align the openings 18 and 28 and the openings 19 and 29 whereupon the studs 31 and 34 may be freed from the latch plates 20 and 22, respectively, thus allowing the cover 12 to be opened upon its hinges 13. The device may then be brought upwardly against the underside of the cable 114 in such manner that the roller 38 will bear against the underside of the cable 114. By manual manipulation the cable may then be threaded between the fixed gripping members 88 and the movable gripping members 95 which are on the upper flight of the endless chain 69. The cover may now be brought back to its original closed position whereupon it will close automatically when pressure is applied thereto since the studs 31 and 34 will thus force their way through the openings 18 and 28 in the one case and the openings 19 and 29 in the other, it being understood that the frustoconical shapeof the studs 31 and 34 will accomplish a rearward movement of the latch plates 20 and 22 after which the spring 27 will again cause the plates 20 and 22 to move forwardly to thus engage the undersides of the studs 31 and 34 to provide a secure locking means for the cover 12. At this time a pair of vertically mounted rollers 115 dependently carried by the arms 26 and a transverse roller 116 mounted in the forward end of the cover 12 will encompass the cable 114 while a transversely mounted roller 117 mounted in the rearward portion of the cover 12 will bear against the upper side of the cable 114. The cover 12 carries a pair of vertical cylindrical guide members 118 one at either end portion of the roller 117 to thus provide vertical guides for the sides of the cable 114.

For motive power for the device the rearward end of the shaft 49 may be connected as by gearing 119 to an electric motor 120 mounted in the rear portion of the casing and which motor may be supplied with electrical energy by means of a trailing wire 121 extending from the rearward end of such casing 10. Instead of the motor 120, the shaft 49 may be turned by a flexible cable or other suitable means.

As power is applied to the shaft 49, the shaft 52 will be turned through the intermeshing of the gear and worm 51. This acts to turn the sprocket 53 which, in turn, imparts movement to the sprocket 61 through the endless chain 62 to thus turn the shaft 60. Since the sprocket 63 is aflixed to the shaft it will turn in a clockwise direction as viewed, for example, in Figure 12. This will cause the endless chain 69 to rotate in such manner that its upper plate, again as viewed in Figure 12 will move to the right while its lower plate will move to the left. To insure a proper tension upon the chain 69, the blocks 64 may be loosened and moved to the left as viewed, for example, in Figure 13, by means of the elongated bolts 74 and 75. When a proper tension has thus been secured, the lock nuts 76 may be moved into locking engagement with the depressed members and 72, it being understood that the shaft 66 is moved forwardly during such tensioning operation to thus move the sprocket 68 away from the sprocket 63.

With the chain 69 now in motion in the manner stated,-

it will be apparent that the fixed gripping members 88 and the movable gripping members carried by such chain will likewise be moved in the same direction as the chain 69 and that the cable 114 will be gripped by such gripping members as are present upon the upper flight of the chain at any given time thus movinjg the entire device along the cable in a direction from right to left as viewed in Figures 12 and 13, again for example.

As each of the movable gripping members 95 is brought upwardly to the forward part of the upper flight of the chain 69 it is at first held out of engagement with the cable 114 due to the fact that its associated roller is at that time pressed inwardly due to its confinement by the adjacent plate 46. When, however, the roller 105 reaches the left hand portion of the cut away portion as viewed in Figure 14, the roller is permitted to immediately move outwardly due to the action of the spring 108. At times when it is not desired for the movable gripping member 95 to perform its gripping action, that is to say when the same is being carried upon the lower flight and upon the ends of the chain 69, the same is held out of contact with the fixed gripping member 88 by means of the pin 112 which engages with the shoulder 113 to limit the inward movement of the eccentrically mounted cylinder 95. When the roller 105 comes into contact with the guide arm 111 it will be moved inwardly thereby thus again moving the cylinder 95 out of contact with the cable 114. Thus it will be seen that at any given moment in the example shown in the drawings two or three of the movable gripping members are in gripping contact with the cable 114. It will also be apparent that the position of the vertical arm 89 of the fixed gripping member in each case may be adjusted with respect to the cable 114 by loosening the nut 86 and moving the base 99 to desired position after which the nut may again be tightened to hold such selected position.

it will also be apparent that due to the streamlined shape of the housing 10 that the device, when so moved (Ill as above described along a cable 14, will not be impaired in such movement by tree branches and the like which may be in its path since the shape of the casing will act to move such obstacles to one side and allow the passage of the device freely along the cable 114. It will be understood that an additional cable or additional cables may be attached to the rear end portion of the casing 10 to be drawn along the cable 114 which, it is assumed, is a cable which has already been strung between a pair of poles or other supports thus making it unnecessary for a linesman to attend in person to such stringing of new wire or cables.

While but one form of the invention has been shown and described herein, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that many minor modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A device of the character described comprising an elongated casing having a body and a cover hinged to one side of said body, a cable, said body and said cover adapted to encompass said cable, automatic means for latching said cover to said body, and manually operable means for releasing said latching means, means in said body for moving the same along said cable, said last mentioned means including an endless chain extending longitudinally in said body and having an upper and a lower flight, a series or longitudinally spaced'fixed gripping members carried by said chain, a series of movable gripping members carried by said chain each in opposed relation to one of said fixed gripping members, spring means biasing said movable gripping members toward said fixed gripping members, means for restraining said movable members from movement toward said fixed members when in a position other than in the upper flight of said chain, means for releasing said restraining means when said members are in said upper flight, and a motor in said body for moving said chain, said gripping members adapted to successively grip, pull and release said cable to move said device therealong.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said movable gripping members each include a cylinder presenting its sides toward its adjacent fixed gripping member, and a mounting pin for revolubly and eccentrically mounting said cylinder.

3. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said movable gripping members each include a cylinder presenting its sides toward its adjacent fixed gripping member, and a mounting pin for revolubly and eccentrically mounting said cylinder, and wherein means is provided for restricting the inward and outward movement of such cylinder with respect to its adjacent fixed member.

4. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said fixed gripping members is laterally adjustable with respect to said chain.

5. A device of the character described comprising an elongated casing having a body and a cover hinged to one side of said body, a cable, said body and said cover adapted to encompass said cable, automatic means for latching said cover to said body, and manually operable means for releasing said latching means, means in said body for moving the same along said cable, said last mentioned means including an endless chain extending longitudinally in said body and having an upper and a lower flight, a series of longitudinally spaced fixed gripping members carried by said chain, a series of movable gripping members carried by said chain each in opposed relation to one of said fixed gripping members, spring means biasing said movable gripping members toward said fixed gripping members, means for restraining said movable members from movement toward said fixed members when in a position other than in the upper flight of said chain, means for releasing said restraining means when said members are in said upper flight, and a motor in said body for moving said chain, said gripping members 7 adapted to successively grip, pull and release said cable to move said device therealong, said restraining means including an outwardly extending arm carried by each of said movable members, a roller mounted on the outer end portion of each arm, and a vertical plate mounted in said body in spaced parallel relation to said chain and having a cut away portion adjacent the upper flight of said chain, said rollers adapted to engage the inner face of said plate whereby to move said arms and said movable gripping members against said spring biasing means, said 19 rollers adapted to be released from engagement with said plate when adjacent said cut away portion.

6. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said 8 fixed gripping members is laterally adjustable with respect to said chain, and wherein a vertical guide plate is mounted in said body adjacent said fixed gripping members and wherein said fixed members are adapted to bear against the periphery of said guide plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 798,602 Detchon Sept. 5, 1905 1,336,949 Emerson Apr. 13, 1920 1,976,990 Guthrie Oct. 16, 1934 2,520,687 Martin et a1 Aug. 29, 1950 

